'It was embarrassing'

Padres pitcher Jake Peavy's expectations are high for Team USA in this year's World Baseball Classic. Peavy says the 2009 squad has more "grittier, get-after-it type of players" than it did in 2006. Peavy was on the roster of the '06 club that finished a disappointing 3-

Padres pitcher Jake Peavy's expectations are high for Team USA in this year's World Baseball Classic. Peavy says the 2009 squad has more "grittier, get-after-it type of players" than it did in 2006. Peavy was on the roster of the '06 club that finished a disappointing 3-3 in the Classic. (Getty Images)

Padres pitcher Jake Peavy's expectations are high for Team USA in this year's World Baseball Classic. Peavy says the 2009 squad has more "grittier, get-after-it type of players" than it did in 2006. Peavy was on the roster of the '06 club that finished a disappointing 3-3 in the Classic. (Getty Images)

On the one hand – the one connected to the right arm of Jake Peavy – it was electrifying. Like watching a high-wire act performing on a power line. Utterly memorable. Triumphant.

On the other hand – the one attached to the left arm of Dontrelle Willis – it was exasperating and confounding. Utterly forgettable. Deflating and, ultimately, defeating.

From the perspective of Team USA, the inaugural World Baseball Classic of 2006 was a great experience in the nationalistic aspect of representing the United States on U.S. soil in a tournament of the world's pre-eminent practitioners of the so-called American pastime. But it was devastating, shocking, in the sense that Team USA's play didn't represent very well at all.

Three wins. Three losses. Over and out.

“It was embarrassing,” said Peavy, recalling how the United States almost didn't even make it out of pool play before second-round elimination. “We felt we had better players than any other team in the thing and we just didn't make it happen.”

When the budget-slashing Padres didn't trade Peavy over the winter, a major residual for the pitcher and Team USA was that he'd get another shot at the world in the WBC, which he might have had to pass on if trying to familiarize himself with a new big league team in spring training.

It's clear that Peavy – who still considers the WBC the most scintillating experience of a baseball career that's since included a second division championship, a Cy Young Award and All-Star Game start for the National League – also hasn't let all the success bury his memory of that spring three years ago.

“Those of us who went through it the first time around have a bitter taste in our mouth,” Peavy said. “We wanted to show that we have some of the best players in the world, to go out on top, and we didn't even come close to doing that.

“This time, those of us who've played (in the WBC) are certainly going to get the point across to the guys who haven't. This thing is intense. We have every intention of doing what we can to win this thing – and everybody needs to know we've got our hands full in doing so.”

The first U.S. pitch of the 2009 event again will come off Peavy's fingertips. He's been named Team USA's opening-game starter when the American major leaguers face host Team Canada on Saturday at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

The opponent and north-of-the-border locale alone should provide sufficient reminder to the United Staes that Canada delivered the first jolt to Team USA's system with an 8-6 upset in the first round of the '06 Classic. The U.S. did come away with the distinction of having beaten eventual-champion Japan – albeit with a fortuitous umpire's call – but lost to Korea and was ousted by Mexico.

“I think we felt like the WBC would be a fun thing and we could just show up with all the talent we had and play the game and win,” Peavy said. “Maybe we didn't take it as serious as we should have. When we finally figured out, 'Hey, we might get beat in this thing' and tried to turn it on ... well, it's tough to just turn it on in the spring. You're not in midseason form by any means.”

To his credit, Peavy's constant use of the term “we” for the Americans'struggles of '06 belies the fact that he did everything he could to get Team USA off to a rousing start. Both throwing and breathing fire as the opening-game starter against Mexico, Peavy need just 23 of an allotted 65 pitches to get through his three-inning stint, including 19 strikes over his last 21 deliveries.

“I'm surprised he threw the ball between the two dugouts,” said Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, a WBC teammate of Peavy then and now. “He was jacked up.”

Willis, simply, got jacked. As the No. 2 starter for Team USA, Willis was a celebrated left-hander matched against a lineup of eight lefty-hitting Canadians, who chased him with a 4-0 deficit and similarly roughed up veteran lefty Al Leiter en route to an 8-0 lead. After his second outing, Willis had allowed 17 baserunners and eight runs over a total of 5 2/3 innings.

The shortcomings of Team USA were even more of a disappointment to Peavy, too, since the WBC semifinals and championship game were played in Petco Park. He was back with the Padres in Peoria when the Japanese beat the Cubans for the title.

San Diego will stage one of the two second-round series, but Team USA is in Pool C, whose first-round winner and runner-up advance to games against Pool D teams at Dolphin Stadium in Florida. The teams at Petco Park will come from Pools A and B.

The WBC championship of '09 will be decided at Dodger Stadium. Team USA is determined to be there, especially the players on their second go-round. Perhaps more noteworthy, however, is the relative lack of superstars on the American roster this time.

“There were too many chiefs and not enough Indians,” said Jones of 2006. “We had so many stud athletes and egos flying out the door, it was crazy. It was a tremendous amount of fun, don't get me wrong. But I think this team is better put-together because it's more well-rounded.”

Alex Rodriguez chose to play for the Dominican Republic, sparing Team USA from all the other sorts of scrutiny that follows A-Rod these days. Injuries sidelined Derrek Lee and Johnny Damon during the first WBC, and not coincidentally, the '09 team is younger. Lee took his name out of consideration, in fact, when learning that Team USA basically had assured the starting job to the Boston Red Sox's lunch-bucket first baseman, Kevin Youkilis.

“This time around, instead of going big name after big name after big name, it seems we've got some grittier, get-after-it type of players.” Peavy said. “I'm not saying we didn't have a great team assembled in '06, because we did, but we have some gritty players now. Guys like (Dustin) Pedroia and Brian McCann. They're all gamer types, dirtbag players who bring that attitude with them. That's the kind of attitude we need this time around.”